General Statistics
Caliber: 60mm mortars Barrel Length: 70cm, up to 100cm Mass, with baseplate: 15.8 kg Mass, commando: 6.8 kg Effective range with baseplate: 3,700 m Effective range, commando: 2,000 m Conversion time from standard to commando version: less than 30 seconds |
The RSG60 Slinger light, 60 mm mortar has been developed for infantry and special forces. The weapon possesses an innovative design and engineering characteristics providing significant weight saving and presents a two-in-one solution.
The barrel of the mortar is approximately 70cm long and comprised of steel wrapped over with carbon fibre. This offers a reduced transport weight and provides necessary stability and strength while firing. The 15.8 kg indirect fire system can be turned into a 6.8 kg commando mortar in around thirty seconds with just a few manual adjustments, including the removal of the base plate. The RSG60 is not fitted with a bipod, a typical solution for 60 mm long barrel mortars; GAC engineers instead designed a system that allows quick trimming of the elevation; on the right side of the mortar a table allows the user to mechanically input the required range, providing the data for the different charges. On the left side the mortar features a compass fitted with a level; while the compass is used to orient the mortar at the right azimuth, once range data have been input, it is sufficient to zero the level in order to attain the right elevation. Firing can be done either in drop mode or trigger mode. With charge 6 the maximum range attainable is 3,200 meters; however a 300 mm extension of the barrel can be screwed on, allowing to reach 3,700 meters using charge 6+. The commando variant of the RSG60 attains an effective range of around 2,000 metres. The baseplate is fitted with small spikes allowing to fix it to the ground, however these can be replaced with different elements, i.e. rubber pads, depending on the surface. To transport the RSG60 on foot infantrymen can easily collapse the mortar at 0° elevation and fix it to a frame that allows carrying it comfortably on the back, the whole mortar and carrying system weighing 23 kg. Unscrewing the mortar from the baseplate and extracting a bolt that fixes it to the elevation mechanism, it is possible to separate the barrel obtaining a Commando mortar, the weight dropping to only 6.8 kg. Considering recoil forces and the reduced baseplate diameter, the RSG60 in the Commando configuration cannot be used with the more powerful charges; the maximum range currently declared is of 2,000 meters, with development ongoing. The RSG60 baseplate can be fixed on a vehicle flatbed, which allows for an easy split of the barrel from the mount which allows soldiers to quickly dismount a vehicle, with an average disassembly time of 30 seconds, carrying with them with a shorter range but very light indirect fire weapon. The standard suite of 60mm mortars can be utilised in this weapon, with warheads including:
|